They Buried Me in the Desert. I Built Weapons for the Crown Chapter 05

They Buried Me in the Desert. I Built Weapons for the Crown Chapter 05

But ten minutes later, after a thorough search, one of the warriors came over to report.

“Sir, we couldn’t find the target anywhere inside the helicopter.”

The S-rank Gamma leading the tactical team wore a dark windbreaker.

His eyes were razor-sharp, and a faint scar marked his face.

He was Kellan Rooke, commander of a Crown Security Directorate tactical team.

His gaze swept across the cabin, and his expression immediately darkened.

Only Gideon and four warriors were inside. I was nowhere to be found.

“Alpha Gideon, where is she?”

Kellan’s voice was cold.

Gideon regained his composure, straightened his rumpled clothes, and put on an innocent expression.

“Captain Rooke, I was simply taking my private helicopter back to Meridian Harbor to handle pack business.”

“You intercepted me out of nowhere. I’m the one who should be asking what’s going on.”

He spread his hands, perfectly at ease.

“And this ‘she’ you’re talking about? I have no idea who you mean.”

Kellan stared at him without responding, then quietly ordered the team behind him.

“Get a thermal scanner. Sweep this aircraft from nose to tail.”

The corner of Gideon’s mouth twitched, but he quickly regained his composure.

“Captain Rooke, you’re violating my property rights…”

“Alpha Gideon,” Kellan cut in, “you’re suspected of abducting a core Crown researcher with classified access.

I have the authority to search any vehicle you use.”

The thermal scanner was brought over shortly afterward.

One of the team members slowly swept the device along the aircraft.

When the scanner passed over a concealed compartment near the rear underside of the fuselage, beside the

fuel tank, a clear human heat signature suddenly appeared on the screen.

The bright orange silhouette was unmistakable-a living person curled inside a cramped metal

compartment.

“Captain Rooke! We’ve got a heat signature in a compartment beside the fuel tank!” the team member

shouted.

The color drained from Gideon’s face.

Kellan personally led several members of the team in prying open the metal panel disguised as part of the

cabin wall.

Inside the cramped compartment, I was curled beside the cold fuel lines, my hands and feet bound with rope and my mouth taped shut, trembling from lack of oxygen and violent coughing.

The moment light broke through, I struggled hard and managed only a muffled sound.

“Ms. Ashborne!” Kellan quickly ripped away the tape, cut through the ropes, and helped me out. “How are

you?”

I took a deep breath and steadied myself through the pain in my chest. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Gideon looked coldly at Kellan.

“Captain Rooke, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“I was taking my sister home for medical treatment. What exactly did I do wrong?”

“Medical treatment?”

Kellan scoffed, not buying it for a second.

He pressed play on the terminal strapped to his wrist.

A second later, a recording from inside the helicopter filled the cabin.

“The Crown is too busy investigating you to come looking for you.”

“Sign the stem-cell donation consent form like you’re told, and I can get you out of here…”

Gideon’s face went ashen.

“Alpha Gideon, trying to forcibly harvest stem cells from a core Crown researcher-that’s your idea of medical treatment?”

Kellan’s voice was ice-cold.

I stood up, pulled an encrypted USB drive from the inside pocket of my coat, and handed it to the wolf enforcer accompanying the team.

“Captain Rooke, this is the complete evidence file I’ve kept over the years.”

“It includes the original data proving Seraphine committed research fraud eight years ago and that senior members of Ashborne Pack framed me for it; the official notice Gideon Ashborne signed last week cutting off Sable Ridge’s partnership funding; the treatment-refusal emails showing my mother, Dr. Octavia Voss-Ashborne, coordinating with medical specialists to deny me care; and a recording of Gideon admitting that he deliberately sabotaged my career and tried to force me to be tested as a donor match for Seraphine.”

The wolf enforcer accepted the USB drive, his expression grave.

Gideon finally lost control and screamed at me.

“lona, have you lost your mind? I’m your own brother! What do you gain if Ashborne Pack goes down?”

I stared coldly at him.

“From the day you started treating me as Seraphine’s living donor reserve, we stopped being family.”

Metal clicked sharply as a pair of cold handcuffs snapped around Gideon’s wrists.

“Gideon, you’re under arrest on suspicion of unlawful confinement, kidnapping, attempted bodily harm, and interference with Crown research.”

Gideon was escorted toward the airport terminal in disgrace.

But before they made it off the tarmac, several familiar figures came striding angrily toward us from the

terminal exit.

At the front was Eamon, his expression thunderous.